Frozen Products

[sjs123]

Hi Everyone....I am brand new to having to be gluten-free (and egg free and milk free Ughhhhhhh!!!!!), and ordered some breads and pizza crusts to try from the Gluten-Free Mall. It specifically stated that the items had to be shipped frozen and stay frozen. Unfortunately I live in a hot climate (in the 80's today), and the products, while cool to the touch, were definitely NOT frozen when they arrived at my home. Are they safe to eat? I emailed the gluten-free Mall, but thought I'd ask here for advice....

Thanks so much!!!

Sue

[modiddly16]

Hopefully you put them in the freezer upon arrival even with your hesitation. As long as they were still packed tightly and kept cool there shouldn't be any problems with the items that you received. They're shipped in a timely fashion but while they can't forsee the climate issues, even if they're defrosted a little it doesn't spoil the items that quickly if they're immediately refrozen. That's at least my take on the situation and I'm sure what Scott or his assistant will tell you about it.

Maybe others could weigh in on the topic but I think you're fine!

[celiac-mommy]

Maybe others could weigh in on the topic but I think you're fine!

I would think so too. I had a bunch of stuff in my deep freeze and my dear MIL left the door open and everything thawed, we ate the bread anyway, pizza crusts too--but of course threw the other perishables away (including a month's worth of homemade baby food I had made the week before!!! arg!!)

[sjs123]

Thanks so much for your responses. I didn't think my post went through last night as the "Reply" button had mysteriously disappeared!

Yes, I definitely put the items directly into my freezer, but they really were "squishy" -- cool, but "squishy" to the touch. I checked out the UPS tracking and the items arrived in my area at 7:45 that MORNING, but weren't delivered until 6:00PM -- so they were in an 80+ degree temperature truck for about 10 hours!! Contacted gluten-free Mall by email and phone, but no response at all.

I'm hesitant to try the items -- it's bad enough dealing with the gluten problem, let alone a food spoilage problem.......Ugh!!! I am slowly starting to eliminate gluten, but the bread issue has been impossible for me so far -- I really was looking forward to trying the gluten-free bread!!

Thanks again,

Sue

[jerseyangel]

Hi Sue and welcome

Since they are all bread products, I think they should be fine. I'd keep them frozen and take out portions as needed.

I've bought frozen bakery items from Whole Foods several times and by the time I got them home they were thawed but cool. I popped them back into the freezer and they worked out fine.

Was there any dry ice in the container? If there was even a small piece left, the box would have at least stayed cool.

[num1habsfan]

When I order food from Kinnikinnick it takes 3 or 4 days to get here. It has never gotten bad, except for the one time they shipped it to the wrong location first, so they sent me a new batch for the trouble for nothing. The rule there is that they bake according to your order, and the day before they ship it out. Whatever is baked I make sure gets thrown in the freezer (except for when the other people mom work with forget to tell her it arrived ). I'm just gonna guess thats the same for the gluten-free mall?

~ Lisa ~

[sjs123]

Hi Everyone! Thanks again for the help and info....Just called the gluten-free Mall again and finally got through....Talked to a VERY nice lady about my order -- she said the breads and pizza crust should be fine. The breads are actually shipped to close locations in a non-frozen state anyway and it would talk 4-5 days before unfrozen breads would have any problems...Great News....

Thanks so much ---I feel like I'm walking through a mine field in the dark -- It's so hard changing virtually everything you eat while you're feeling miserable -- UGH!!! Don't know what I'd do without all the help from you all here on the BB...

Sue